Method of and apparatus for sorting coiled articles



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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING COILED ARTICLES Jan. 24, 1967 M. BUDZICH ETAL 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed Dec.

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United States Patent 3,300,044 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SDRTING COILED ARTICLES Mieczyslaw Budzich, Dundallr, and Edwin C. Hardesty,

Perry Hall, MtL, assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 415,696 14 Claims. (Cl. 209-81) This invention relates generally to a method and a system for sorting flexible, elongated coiled articles, the sorting being based upon the results of visual examination and continuity testing of the articles. More specifically, this invention relates to a method and a system for facilitating the inspection of, and effecting the continuity testing and sorting of helically coiled spring cords, the sorting being based upon the results of the cord inspection and testing.

Certain types of electric cords, particularly spring cords currently used in the telephone industry, are formed by a number, typically four, individually insulated conductors, the conductors being encased in approximately parallel relationship by a cylindrical jacket of insulating material. The conductors generally extend from opposite ends of the jacket and have bifurcated terminals connected to the extremities thereof. In order that the cord be extensible in use, a helical, extensible coil section is provided in the cord.

Imperfect electrical connections between the bifurcated cord terminals and associated conductors, and imperfections in the cord insulation are typical defects that may be present in a spring cord which would render the cord rejectable. To determine the presence or absence of such defects, visual inspection and electrical continuity tests should be performed on every spring cord prior to assembly with other telephone components.

Known techniques for performing visual inspection of a cord, including the terminals thereof, involve tedious and time-consuming manual operations. As will be evident, the visual inspection of a spring cord is complicated and hampered by the four conductor terminals dangling from each end of the cord in a generally unoriented manner, and by the springiness imparted to a cord by the retractible coil section. Visual inspection for observable defects, such as pinholes, in the cord insulation between adjacent coil convolutions is inhibited by the closeness of the normally retracted coils. The problem of insulation and terminal inspection is further increased with extensible cords since the cord inspector is often required to scan an effective cord length of siX or more feet. Obviously, it would be advantageous to substantially eliminate the manual handling and tiring eye and head movements presently involved in inspecting this type of article.

It is conventional practice in checking spring cords for electrical continuity to test the cords by successively probing each terminal extending from one end of the cord While the cord lies in a relaxed state on a testing table with the terminals extending from the opposite cord end pressed into contact with an electrically energized conductive strip. However, since spring cords are typically in tension during telephone use, a continuity test performed upon terminals of cords that are not under forces of tension at least as great as the maximum expected in actual usage is not as revealing as a continuity test performed upon adequately tensioned conductors and terminals.

Broadly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method of, and a system for, determining the Patented Jan. 24, 1967 "ice presence or absence of prescribed defects in a finite length of a flexible, extensible, elongated article.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of and a system for extending a spring cord prior to the movement thereof through inspection and continuity test facilities.

Another object of this invention, in addition to the foregoing objects, is to provide a method of, and apparatus for, sorting flexible, extensible defective articles from nondefective articles of the same type.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the overall apparatus constructed in accordance With this invention showing the locations of various stations;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates mechanism and electrical and pneumatic circuitry utilized in accordance with the instant invention to effect cord extension, continuity testing and ejection of defective cords;

FIG. 3 is a side view taken along section lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustrating a typical pair of carriers for carrying a coiled electrical cord to a plurality of stations;

FIG. 4 is an end view'taken along section lines 44 in FIG. 3 and illustrates one typical cord carrier;

FIG. 5 is a side view taken along section lines 5-5 in FIG. 4 of said one cord carrier;

FIG. 6 is a sectional end view taken along section lines 66 in FIG. 5 of said cord carrier;

FIG. 7 is a perspective of a system for driving the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial side view of a cord extending station of the apparatus, the view being taken along section lines 88 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an end view of a cord extending station taken along section lines 99 in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 10-1 to 10-5, inclusive, schematically illustrate a succession of operations for extending and retaining the cord extended;

FIG. 11 is an end view of a cord reject station taken along section lines 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a plan view taken along section lines 12 12 of FIG. 11 illustrating mechanism for releasing the extended loop end of a cord at the cord reject station;

FIG. 13 is an end view of a continuity test station taken along section lines 13*13 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are partial side views of the continuity testing apparatus taken along section lines 14 14 and 1515, respectively, in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a sectional end view of the continuity testing apparatus taken along section lines 1616 in FIG. 5 I

FIG. 17 is a bottom view of the continuity testing apparatus taken along section lines 17-17 of FIG. 16 with the cord carriers removed for the purpose of clarity;

FIG. 18 is an end view of a cord ejection station taken along section lines 18-18 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 19 is a side view of the cord ejection station taken along section lines 19-19 of FIG, 18.

According to the method and apparatus of this invention, the terminals of a spring cord are clamped adjacent one another and the resulting loop is extended and retained in the extended position during cord advancement to inspection and continuity testing stations. The extension or stretching of the cord coils permits one to readily inspect the cords for observable defects and also tensions the clamped terminals to provide an electrical connection between the terminals and test mechanism at thecontinuity test station. Should the cord be found defective at any station, the terminals thereof will be released so .that the defective cord is ejected to locations established for rejections.

Referring now to FIGS, 3 and 18 of the drawings for a more complete understanding of the invention, a typical spring cord that is to be inspected, tested and sorted in accordance with the instant invention is indicated generally by the numeral 10. The cord 10, FIG. 18, has four individually insulated conductors 11a11d, inclusive, the conductors having attached to their free ends respective metallic terminals 13a-13d, inclusive, and 14a- 14d, inclusive. The terminals 13a-13d and 14a-14d are typically bifurcated, as indicated by the numeral 15 in FIG. 6 and are afiixed by crimping terminal extensions, designated by the numerals 16, FIG. 3, into the insulation on conductors 11a-11d. Metal projections formed by the crimped extensions 16 penetrate the insulation of the conductors Ila-11d and provide electrical contact between mutually connected terminals pairs 13a, 14a, 13b, 14b

13c, 14c; 13d, 14d and themetallic strand or strands incorporated in each conductor 11a-11d, respectively.

The conductors 11a-11d are encased in substantially parallel relationship by -a plastic sheath 17. The design of the spring cord 10 may dictate that one or more conductors extending from one end of the cord 10 have a length longer than the length of theremaining conductors in that group. For example, the conductors 11c and 11d which are connected to the terminals 140 and 14d and held encased by an insulating sleeve .18, are shown to be somewhat longer than the conductors 11a and 11b which are connected to the terminals 14a and 14b, respectively.

FIG. 1 of the drawingsis an overall plan view of the cord inspection, testing and sorting system constructed in accordance with the instant invention, the system being referred to by the numeral 20. The system 20 includes a horizontal base 21 and an enclosing paneling 22 extending vertically from the base 21 and suitably secured thereto. For purposes of clarity, the paneling 22 has been omitted from FIGS. 8, 9 and 13. The base 21 is supported by four or more legs, .one such leg 23, being shown in FIG. 11.

With reference to FIGS. 36, inclusive, successive pairs of cord carriers, 24a, 24b are employed to forwardly and continuously convey individual cords 10 to the stations 1-6, inclusive, located around a vertical housing 25 mounted stationary on the base 21. l The housing 25 encloses and supports the drive mechanism needed to effect the continuous advancement of the spring cords 10 as well as electrical circuitry required in the testing and rejection of defective cords :at the various stations. The carrier pairs 24a, 24b, respectively, are guided for translation through station 1 and throughstations 25, inclusive, FIG. 1, ina path parallel to the plane of the horizontal base 21, FIGS. 3 and 4, ona pair of parallel guide rails 26 and 27 affixed to the housing 25. The forward direction of carrier advancement is indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 3. The guide rails 26 and 27, FIGS. 3 and 4, are formed with grooves 28 and 29, respectively, that receive opposite ends of carrier plates 30 of the carrierpairs 24a, 24b, the plates 30 being atfixed by vertically opposed pairs of angle brackets 33 to a pair of parallel roller or link chains 35. The link chains 35 mesh with and are driven at the same constant velocity by a pair of identical sprocket wheels 38, FIG. 7, mounted within and adjacent one corner of the housing 25. The wheels 38 are splined to a shaft 41 which is driven by a motor M through a conventional speed reduction box 42 in the direction indicated by arrow B in FIG. 7. The motor M,

FIG. 2, is energized by a source of AG. power S con- .plate- 30 of carriers 24a, 24b is providede with a support l plate 48 that mounts a cord terminal carrier 50 by screws 49, the plate 48 shown bent at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the vertical axis of the carrier plate 30. The necessity for inclining the carriers 50 to the vertical axis of the carrier plate 30 will be subsequently evident. The support plates 48 advance with translation of the link chains 35 and thereby advance the carrier pairs 24a, 24b around the housing 25 with a cord 10 clamped therebetween.

If the conductors 11c and 11d, FIG. 3, are somewhat longer than the conductors 11a and 11b, it may be preferable to tension the conductors 11c and 11d so that these conductors do not dangle loosely from the carrier 2% and possibly hook onto structure located adjacent the path of advancement of the carrier 24b. The tensioning of the conductors 11a and 11b is accomplished by using a cantilevered coil spring 53, FIG. 4, which is secured at one end thereof to the support plate 48 by a bolt 54. The free end of the spring is shaped as a single downwardly extending coil element 55. A flexible coil 56 formed between the ends of the spring 53 has a flexing capability for imparting the required tension to the conductors 11c and 11d when the conductor terminals 14a- 14a' are clamped to the carrier 24b and the sheath 17 is hooked over the element 55. I

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, it can be seen that each terminal carrier 50 of each carrier pair 24a, 24b comprises three flat plates 69, 61 and 62, sandwiched together and composed of an electrical insulating material such as phenol fiberboard, the outer plates 60 and 61 securing therebetween the inner and U-shaped spacer plate 62. The spacer plate 60 is formed with four transverse terminal receiving slots 64H-64d, the edges of the slots 6411-6411 being preferably reinforced with strips, not shown, of metal or wear-resistant plastic. The lateral width of the open slots 64a64d is greater than the width of the bifurcated ends of the terminals 13a-13d and 14a- 14d. The plates 60 and 61 are maintained in a spacedapart, face-to-face relationship by the U-shaped plate 62, and all plates may be fastened together by machine screws 66, FIG. 5. The U-shaped plates 62 have a transverse width sufiicient to permit pivotal movement of four metallic terminal clamping jaws 68a-68d in a plane parallel to the plane of the plate 60, the jaws 68a-68d being electrically insulated one from the other by the insulative plates 60, 61 and 62. The rearward facing edges of the jaws 68a-68d are formed with substantially U-shaped grooves 69a69d, respectively, the grooves 69a-69d being designed for receiving and clamping the crimped extensions 16 of the terminals 13a-13d and 14 -14d against the forward edge of each slot 64a-64d, respectively, with the vertically disposed bifurcated ends 15 of the terminals 13a13d and 14a14d contacting opposed edges of the jaws 68a68d.

Equally spaced, tab-like contact shoes 7011-7061, FIGS. 4 and 5, are formed on the upper ends of the jaws 68a 680', respectively, and extend transversely from the plane of pivotal movement of the jaws 68a-68d. The contact shoes 70a-70d are designed to make electrical contact with overhead contact elements in a manner that will be subsequently disclosed in greater detail. Rectangular blocks 71a-7ld, FIG. 5, are also formed on the jaws 68a-63a', respectively, and extend substantially parallel to, and in the same direction as, the contact shoes 70a- 70d, respectively, from the planes of the jaws 68a-68d, respectively. The blocks 71a71d project from the plane of the jaws 68a-68d to contact and turn the bifurcated ends 15 of the terminals 13a-13d and 14a-14d so that the bifurcated ends 15 are all oriented vertically, FIG. 6, in the carrier pairs 24a, 24b. The vertical orientation of the bifurcated ends 15 permits an inspector to readily scan the connections formed by the thusly horizontally aligned crimped sections 16.

The lower endsof the jaws 68a-68d are mounted for pivotal movement on pins 73a-73a', the outermost ends of the pins 73a73d being formed, FIGS. 4 and 6, with enlarged heads 74a74d, respectively. Coil springs 75a- 75a, FIG. 5, are individually supported by respective pins 73a-73a, the ends of the pins 73a-73d being afiixed to the plate 69 by threaded engagement with nuts 76a-76d, respectively. The heads 74a-74d, FIGS. 5 and 6, hold the coil springs 75a75d, respectively, against the plate 60 with spring ends 78a78d, respectively, fixed to the plate 6!) and opposite spring ends 790-794 respectively, fixed to the lower, pivotally mounted ends of the jaws 68a-68d, respectively. The spring ends 79a79d, FIG. 5, are movable in arcuate slots 81a-81d, respectively, formed in the plate 60 adjacent the pivoted ends of the jaws 68a-63d and the springs 75a-75d thereby individually biasing the jaws 68a68d counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, or clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 5, to receive and clamp all terminals pressed downwardly into the open slots 64a-64d by a cord-loading operator.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the rearwardly inclined edges of the upper end of the jaws 68a-68d and the opposite forwardly inclined edges of the slots 64a-64d, respectively, cooperate to form V-shaped openings that serve as guides when the terminals 13a-13d and 14a-14d are forced downward into the slots 640-6411 in each pair 24a, 24b, respectively. Downward pressure applied by the cord-loading operator to the terminals placed in the formed V-shaped openings will cause the extensions 16 to bear against the rearwardly inclined edges of the jaws 68a-68d and pivot the jaws 6811-6811 counterclockwise. This loading operation is depicted in FIG. 5 by the crimped section 16 of the terminal 140 and the jaw 68c. In order to limit the angular displacement of the jaws 6811-6811, pins 83a-83d are mounted on the jaws 68a68d, respectively, between the ends thereof, the pins 83a-83d extending transversely from the planes of the jaws and being received in motion-limiting arcuate slots 81Ct-81d, respectively, formed in the plate 61. i

As mentioned hereinabove, the jaws 68a68d may be individually pivoted against the bias afforded by the coil springs 7511-7541 so as to permit the insertion of all the terminals of the conductors into the slots Mil-64d, respectively, where the crimped sections 16 are clamped between the grooved edges 6961-690 of the jaws 68a-68d, respectively, and the forward edges of the slots 64a-64d, respectively. In order to simultaneously release all terminals thusly clamped to a carrier pair 24a, 24b, the jaws 68(1-6842 must be simultaneously or successively pivoted to wipe off the vertically oriented bifurcated ends of the terminals 13a14d held by the opposed edges of the jaws 6811-6811 against the forward edges of the slots 6411-6461. The bifurcated ends 15 of the terminals will then be released from the slots 64a-64d.

The release mechanism of each carrier pair 24a, 24b comprises a slide 87 thatis preferably composed of a plastic electrical insulative material, for example, nylon, and formed with four parallel pindriving projections that project upwardly from the upper edge of the slide 87 to bear against the pins 83a-83d, respectively. The slide 87 is mounted on the plate 61 for reciprocative movement by a pair of U-shaped brackets 88, also preferably composed of a plastic insulative material, and the bias imparted to the pins 83a-83d by the jaws 68a68d, respectively, normally urges the slide 87 to the right as viewed in FIG. 5, so that the jaws flirt-68d substantially close the slots 64a64d, respectively. Movement of the slide 87 from right to left, FIG. 5, is effected by pivotal movement of a bell crank 89 formed with a slide camming surface 90 that bears against one corner of the slide 87 to effect displacement thereof against the combined bias offered by spring-biased pins SSH-83d. The bell crank 89 is pivotally mounted to the plate 61 by the pin 73d and secured to the pin 73d by the nut 76d. The bell crank 89 is additionally provided with a camming roller 92 rotatively mounted to the lower end of the.

bell crank 89 by a pin 93. The function of the cam- 6 ming roller 92 is to pivot the bell crank 89 to drive the slide 87 so that the jaws 68a68d simultaneously eject all terminals carried by a carrier pair 24a, 241).

A flag 94 is also mounted to the plate 60 of every second carrier, that is, to every carrier 24b, by a threaded pivot pin 92 that is secured to the plate 61 by a nut 96. The flag 94 has an arcuate slot 97 that receives a pin 98 therein, the pin 98 limiting pivotal movement of the flag 94 about the pivot pin to respective raised and lowered positions. The flag 94 is shown in the lowered position in FIG. 3 and is shown in the raised position by FIG. 5. The function of the raised flag 94 is to provide a signal or indication that a defective cord 10 is being carried by the carrier pair mounting the raised flag. A pin 99 projects vertically from the plane of the flag 94 and is utilized in pivoting the flag 94 from the lowered to the raised position, as will be shortly apparent.

Cord Loading Station 1 With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the cord loading station is referred to as station 1. At this station a cord loading operator takes a cord 10 supplied to the station by a conveyor belt 106 and simultaneously grasps the bifurcated ends 15 of the four, terminals 13a13d and presses the terminals and conductors attached thereto downwardly into the open slots 64a64d in the right carrier 240, FIG. 3, which is being advanced through station 1. The jaws 68a-68d pivot clockwise, FIG. 3, until the terminals 13a-13d are forced into grooves 69a69d whereupon the jaws 68a-6Sd and the blocks 71a-71d pivot counterclockwise to respectively clamp the terminals and vertically orient the bifurcated ends 15 thereof. The bifurcated ends 15 are held restrained by rearward edges of the jaws 6801-6811 and the crimped sections 16 are clamped between the rearward edges of the slots 64a64d and the grooves 6911-69d of the jaws 68a-68d, respectively. The carrier pair 24a, 24b continuously advances forwardly through station 1 in the direction of arrow A, FIG. 3, driven by the continuously advancing roller or link chains 35. As the carrier 24b of the carrier pair approaches the position previously occupied by the carrier 24a, the operator similarly grips the other end of the cord 10 from which the terminals 14a14d extend and presses those terminals down into the slots 64a64d of the carrier 24b. The sheath 17 encasing the longer conductors 11c and 11a is looped under the projection 55 on the cantilevered spring 53 and the coil 56 biases the sheath 17 downwardly with sufiicient force to tension the conductors 11c and 11d and thereby prevent the sheath 17 from flapping loosely against the carrier 2412. It will be noted that the flag 94 mounted on the carrier 24b is in the lowered position, the pivoting of all flags 94 to the lowered position having been effected at station 6 by mechanism that will be described subsequently.

The now-loaded carrier pair 24a, 24b advances the cords 10 around the right-hand end of the system 20, as viewed in FIG. 1, with the coils of the suspended cord 10 hanging vertically in a relaxed and retracted state. The carrier pair 24a, 24b rides off both guide rails 26 and 27 prior to translation around the sprocket wheels 44. Immediately prior to, and during further carrier translation between the sprocket wheels 44 and 45, the carriers 24a and 2412 are supported solely by the link chains 35.

Card Extending Station 2 The carrier pair 24a, 24!) carrying a spring cord 10 in a relaxed state advances to the cord extending station referred to generally as station 2, FIG. 1. As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, opposite ends of the carrier plates 30 are again received by the grooves 28 and 29 in guide rails 26 and 27, respectively, as shown in FIG. 8, for additional support during translation to and through station 2. Located in a horizontal plane below the rail 27 and supported by the base 21 outwardly from the path of forward ad vancement of the carrier pair 24a, 24b are another pair of parallel, vertically aligned guide rails 112 and 113, respectively, and a pair of identical roller or link chains 114, also in a parallel, vertically aligned relationship and positioned for translation in the horizontal plane between the guide rails 112 and 113.

The guide rails 112 and 113 are mounted to the housing 25 at spaced intervals by support brackets 112a and 113a, respectively. The link chains 114 mesh with, and are driven in unison by, a pair of identical sprocket wheels 116, FIG. 7, and are guided for movement around the remaining three corners ofthe apparatus 20 by identical pairs of sprocket wheels 117, 118 and 119. The sprocket wheels 116 are driven in unison in the direction of arrow B, FIG. 7, by a link chain 121 that meshes with sprocket wheels 122 and 123 splined to shafts 41 and 124, respectively. The shaft 124 is mounted parallel to the shaft 41 on suitable bearings, not shown.

For reasons which will be subsequently apparent, every complete revolution of the sprocket wheels 118 preferably produces three complete revolutions of a cam 126, FIG. 7. The cam 126 is splined to the bearing 128 and is rotatable therewith, the bearing 128 being mounted for free rotation on a shaft 127. The shaft 127 is driven by the sprocket wheels 118 splined thereto and the bearing 128 has a spur gear 138 formed integral therewith. Thus, the cam 126 is connected to the gear 130 on the freely rotatable bearing 128. A spur gear 132 is splined to the shaft 127 so as to rotate therewith and meshes with a spur gear 133 keyed to a shaft 135, the shaft 135 being mounted parallel to the shaft 127 and driving thereby a spur. gear 134 that is keyed to the shaft 135. The cam 126 mounted for free rotation on the shaft 127 is thusly driven by the shaft 127 rotating the gears 132, 133, 134 and 130 and the bearing 128. The gears 130, 132, 133 and 134 may be designed by those working in the art to drive the cam 126 the preferred three complete revolutions for every single revolution of the sprocket wheels 118.

The periphery of the cam 126 is provided with a cam lobe 126a designed to impart translation to a drive rod 138, FIG. 8, through a cam roller 139 mounted for rotation on one end of the drive rod 138 and in contact with the periphery of the cam 126. A rotor 141 is also afiixed to the shaft 127 for rotation therewith and includes a lobe 142 that periodically strikes a contact pin 143 to actuate a microswitch MSl, the microswitch MS1 when actuated initiating the actuation of mechanism employed to extend the cord at station 2. This mechanism will be discussed in detail subsequently.

The sprocket wheels 118, FIG. 8, mesh with the links of the identical, parallel link chains 114 and drive the chains 114 at the same velocity that the link chains 35 are driven by the sprocket wheels 38. The link chains 114, FIG. 8, mount opposite pairs of L-shaped brackets 148, the brackets 148 having rectangular plates 150 attached thereto by, for example, machine screws 152, so that each plate 150 advances vertically around the housing 25 at the same velocity as an associated pair of can riers 24a and 24b.

The plates 150, FIGS. 8 and 12, fixedly mount on the outer faces thereof, a pair of support brackets 153 and 154 that support a cord extending hook 155 for pivotal movement on a pin 156, the pin 156 being fixed at the ends thereof in the brackets 153 and 154. A coil spring 159 is supported on the pin 156 and may be attached at one end thereof to the bracket 153 and at the other end to the hook 155 adjacent the pivot point of the hook. The coil spring 159 normally biases the upper end of the hook 155 inwardly toward the outer face of the plate 150. A pin 158 is mounted on the upper end of the hook 155 and contacts the outer face of the plate 150 to incline the hook outwardly a predetermined distance from the outer face of the vertical plate 150 as the plates enter station 2. The lower end of the hook 155 mounts a roller 160 for rotation thereon, the axis of roller rotation forming substantially a right angle with respect to the lower length 8 of the hook 155 between the roller 160 and the pin 156.

The axis of symmetry of each hook 155 is positioned in substantial coalignment with the vertical axis of symmetry of its mounting plate 150, and each plate is affixed to the chains 114 so that the vertical axis of symmetry of each plate 150 is substantially intermediate the vertical axes of symmetry of its associated carrier pair. Thus, each carrier pair is positioned substantially symmetrically with respect to a hook 155. The 45 inclination from the vertical provided to the plate 48 allows the cords 10 to hang in substantial vertical alignment with the rails 112 and 113. Thus, the plates 150, FIG, 8, their associated pairs of carriers 24a, 24b, and the cords 10 may be considered as forming there-between an essentially isosceles triangle configuration, the bases of the triangle being defined by the jaws 68a-68d and the slots 64a-64d, respectively, of respective carrier pairs 24a and 24b, and the apex of the triangle being defined by a hook 155.

As the plates 150 are advanced to station 2, the plates 150 carried by the link chains 114 are received and are additionally supported for translation by the upper and lower rails 112 andv 113, respectively. The hooks are carried on the plates 150 in the raisedposition with the pins 158 abutting the outer faces of the plates 150 until the rollers contact'arid ride along a downwardly and an inwardly curved cylindrical section 164 of a rectangular roller track 165. v

The roller track 165 extends parallel to the guide rails 112 and 113 and is positioned slightly outwardly therefrom a distance sufficient to permit roller rotation between the plates 150 and the track 165. The track 165 is attached to the base 21 by angle brackets 166, and the rollers 16!) are initially intercepted by, and roll against, the inwardly curved cylindrical section 164 of the track 165. The rollers 160 are driven inward by the inward 'bend of the section 164 and continuously pivot the hooks 155 outwardly and downwardly until the rollers 160 contact and ride upon the inner face of the rectangular roller track 165. Because the track 165 is parallel to the rails 112 and 113, while the rollers 160 ride against the track 165 the books 155 are maintained substantially horizontal, as best shown in FIG. 9, against the restoring bias offered by coil springs 159.

Mechanism for extending the suspended, relaxed cords 10 received by the station 2 comprises a hook-up arm 170, FIGS. 8 and 9, extending from a rotor shaft 171, the shaft 171 being rotata'bly driven by actuation of a conventional torque actuator 172. As viewed in FIG. 9, the torque actuator 172 may be energized and deenergized to impart respective counterclockwise and clockwise rotations to the shaft 171 through an arc of approximately 90. The torque actuator 172 is fixedly mounted on a carriage 173, and the carriage 173 is mounted for reciprocative motion parallel to the link chains 114 on a stationary table 174, the table 174 being secured to the stationary base 21 by channel members 175. The rearward end of the torque actuator 172 mounts a bracket 176 to which the forward end of the rod 138 is connected, the rod 138 being mounted for reciprocative movement in a bearing 178 attached to the vertical side of the housing 25. Integral with the bearing 178 and extending outwardly there- "by the cam roller 139 riding against the cam lobe 126a of the cam 126. In order to bias the rod 138 rearwardly, FIG. 8, so that the cam roller 139 remains in contact with the varying contour of the cam 126, a coil spring 180 is provided, the spring 180 being fixed one end thereof to a support 181, the support 181 in turn being afiixed to the carriage 173. The coil spring 180 is secured at the other end thereof to a pin 182 affixed to, and extending from, the housing 25. The uppermost end of the arm is bifurcated and designed to form a pair of substantially crescent-shaped, parallel fingers 183, FIG. 9, the spacing 

1. A SYSTEM FOR SORTING DEFECTIVE SPRING CORDS FROM NONDEFECTIVE SPRING CORDS AS THE CORDS ADVANCE PAST SUCCESSIVE SYSTEM STATIONS, EACH CORD BEING FORMED WITH COILS AND HAVING TWO ENDS WHICH INCLUDE CONNECTED PAIRS OF CORD TERMINALS, THE SYSTEM COMPRISING: A CONVEYOR MOVEABLE PAST THE STATIONS IN ONE PATH, CLAMPING MECHANISM MOUNTED ON SAID CONVEYOR FOR SELECTIVELY CLAMPING AND RELEASING CONNECTED TERMINALS OF A CORD, SAID CLAMPING MECHSNISM BEING COMPOSED OF AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL SO THAT AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IS PROVIDED BETWEEN SAID CLAMPING MECHANISM AND THE TERMINALS HELD THEREBY, SIGNAL MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CLAMPING MECHANISM AND ACUTATABLE TO PROVIDE A SIGNAL INDICATING THE PRESENCE OF A DEFECT IN A CORD CARRIED BY SAID CLAMPING MECHANISM, MEANS AT A FIRST STATION MOVEABLE TO INTERCEPT AND EXTEND THE COILS OF A CORD WHILE THE CORD ADVANCES, THE EXTENSION OF THE CORD TENSIONING THE TERMINALS HELD BY SAID CLAMPING MECHANISM AND FACILITATING A VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE CORD FOR DEFECTS, MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CORD EXTENDED DURING FURTHER ADVANCEMENT OF THE CORD FROM THE FIRST STATION FOR A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE IN THE DIRECTION OF CORD ADVANCEMENT, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR AND SAID MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CORD EXTENDED AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME VELOCITY AND IN THE SAME DIRECTION, MEANS AT A SECOND STATION LOCATED ADJACENT SAID ONE PATH FOR MONITORING SAID SIGNAL MEANS AND PRODUCING A FIRST SIGNAL IN RESPONSE TO THE ACTUATION OF SAID SIGNAL MEANS, SIGNAL MEANS HAVING BEEN ACTUATED WHEN A DEFECTIVE CORD IS OBSERVED, MEANS AT THE SECOND STATION LOCATED ADJACENT SAID SECOND PATH AND RESPONSIVE TO SAID FIRST SIGNAL FOR RELEASING THE SAID MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CORD EXTENDED SO THAT THE CORD HANGS FREELY SUSPENDED BY THE TERMINALS THEREOF, MEANS AT THE SECOND STATION OPERATED BY THE LAST-MENTIONED MEANS FOR PRODUCING A SECOND SIGNAL WHEN THE CORD LOOP IS RELEASED, CLAMPING RELEASE MECHANISM LOCATED AT THE SECOND STATION RESPONSIVE TO THE SECOND SIGNAL AND LOCATED ADJACENT SAID ONE PATH FOR ACTUATING SAID CLAMPING MECHANISM SO THAT A CORD HAVING AN OBSERVED DEFECT IS RELEASED, MEANS AT A THIRD STATION ADJACENT SAID ONE PATH FOR TESTING THE ELECTRICAL CONTINUITY BETWEEN CONNECTED TERMINALS HELD TENSIONED BY SAID CLAMPING MECHANISM 